A battery system may include a battery pack coupled to a battery management system. The battery pack may include a plurality of battery cells, such as lithium ion battery cells, coupled in series and/or parallel to achieve desired parameters such as capacity and output voltage. It may be desirable to selectively change the state of the battery, alternating the state of the battery between an activated state and a deactivated state. For example it may be desirable to deactivate the battery, placing the battery in what may be referred to as a ‘shipping mode,’ wherein the battery is effectively turned off, disconnecting one or more battery terminals so that any external contact with the terminals, such as might occur during shipping of the battery, would be benign. Beyond actual shipping, this ‘shipping mode’ may also be useful to provide additional safety while installing, mounting, storing, or working in any way with the battery.
It may also be desirable to reactivate the battery, switching the battery out of the ‘shipping mode,’ wherein the battery is turned on, reconnecting the battery terminals.
According to one conventional battery design, the battery may include a user actuated input device which alternatively activates and deactivates the ‘shipping mode’ of the battery. See for example, FIG. 3, wherein an input device, such as a pushbutton switch, may be actuated, changing the state of the battery, initially in either an ‘on’ or an ‘off’ state, to that of the other state. However in certain circumstances, such as when shipping, or otherwise handling, the battery, the input device may be inadvertently actuated, thereby inadvertently alternating the state of the battery.